where have you gone?
John Dampeer, 1968-72
Offensive Tackle
Notre Dame introduced
this former captain to life
outside of football
By Wes Morgan
J
ohn Dampeer grew up in
football-mad Texas and then
matriculated to football-devoted
Notre Dame, so it's interesting
how his perspective concerning
the sport changed over the four
years he spent as a member of
the Fighting Irish.
A senior captain and eventual All-American right tackle
on head coach Ara Parseghian's
1972 squad, Dampeer spurned
offers from Oklahoma and Texas
for Notre Dame and its educational opportunities. According
to Dampeer, a student-athlete's
life in South Bend was and still
is much more of a normal and
integrated existence. The 6-3,
237-pounder from Kermit, Texas,
was selected in the ninth round
of the 1973 NFL Draft by the
Cincinnati Bengals, but was cut
before the season began. He got
a promising phone call from the
New York Jets — a tryout invitation he turned down.
Dampeer, who passed up offers from Oklahoma and Texas
He was ready to move on with for Notre Dame, earned Football News All-America honors
his life.
as a senior co-captain and offensive tackle in 1972.
photo courtesy notre dame media relations
Notre Dame's 1949 Heisman
